


The Light Behind Your Eyes

by IrrelavantSherlock512



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Be prepared for lots and lots of eye staring, Family Fluff, Family of Choice, Feels, Fluff, Found family bonding, Happy Ending, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Kissing, Loss of Immortality, M/M, Mission Fic, NSFW, POV Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Post-Canon, Secret Marriage, Slight Canon Divergence, Smut, So yeah this is basically, Team as Family, Wedding Fluff, Weddings, andy is immortal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:42:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28443366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrrelavantSherlock512/pseuds/IrrelavantSherlock512
Summary: When your time is up, there is no better way to use what is left of it than to do the things you always wanted to do before it is too late, especially with the people you love. Joe and Nicky discover something about their future after a mission goes slightly wrong. Confessions and proposals are exchanged. Happy and fluffy moments ensue.This story takes place one year after the events at Merrick Pharmaceuticals, however Quynh hasn’t showed up yet and Booker is still in exile. Andy isn’t mortal, too. Everything else is movie canon compliant.10 words or less summary: It is all about the eyes and the hands.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50
Collections: The Old Guard Gift Exchange 2020





	1. Mission

**Author's Note:**

  * For [liadan14](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liadan14/gifts).



> This gift is for you, Liadan14! I hope you had safe and happy holidays and I wish you all the best for the new year that is fast approaching. You said you would be willing to sell your soul for Secret Marriage fics. So, I became obsessed with the idea of Joe and Nicky wearing guayaberas for their wedding (see notes at the end of chapter 4). I’ve seen a lot of artwork showing them wearing all kinds of stuff and my Latina heart projected what I would like to see them wearing. Everything else stemmed from that: me, plotting an excuse for a secret marriage with guayaberas! I am terrible at transferring characters into AUs (at least in my mind, I’ve never tried to actually do it), so that’s why I didn’t pursue the secrete marriage idea that way. Although now that I think about it, it would have been easier that way. Anyways, this is what I came up with. So, I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it :D
> 
> The set-up is quite long, but I always struggle to define the moment I want the story to begin at. Also, I wanted to lay good foundations to justify the secret marriage, but it ended up being a lot longer than what I originally expected the set-up to be. Even as I reread and edited this fic, I found myself not wanting to get rid of anything because I think it works so well together. I liked having/offering the big picture, as opposed to just briefly explaining their reasons before jumping to the wedding. Stories with context are very important to me, I think I would struggle writing one shots, even if I enjoy reading them. 
> 
> Another thing: I’m sorry about the angst, but apparently, I’m unable to write without it rearing its head in my stories. Nevertheless, I think I found a good balance between character moments, found family bonding scenes, the secret marriage! (hope I got that right *crossing my fingers*), some smut, and a very fluffy epilogue.
> 
> For the readers: Over the last 4 months, I have consumed tons of fanfic pages from incredibly talented writers in this fandom (btw, thank you all so much for making quarantine a thousand times more bearable). I know most of us share the “Joe and Nicky are a symbolically/legally/officially married couple” head-canon (Immortal husbands for the win!). But let us pretend that they haven’t gotten married yet, for the purposes of this fic. In addition, I want you to know that I want them to get their happily ever after, preferably after more and more centuries of adventures, good deeds, and loving episodes, just as much as I want Andy to be with Quynh for eternity and beyond. Go immortality! However, this fic explores a what if scenario. What if the guys get their happily ever after far sooner than they expected? I find the concept of losing your immortality to be quite intriguing. What would you do with the time you got left, after years and years’ worth of such a varied amount of life experiences? So, I explore some of the implications here. English isn’t my mother tongue, so I hope I didn’t make that many mistakes which could end up distracting you while reading this piece. Also, if I missed tagging something, let me know and I’ll add it 😊
> 
> Language Sidenote: Unless otherwise stated, assume all the characters to be speaking in English. This universe and location conferred me the perfect opportunity to include some dialogue in Spanish throughout the story. I provide translation between brackets. Some bits in Arabic and Italian, mostly pet names and short phrases familiar to anyone in this fandom. Whenever Joe and Nicky are alone, they are speaking using the Arabic/Italian blend™ that’s headcanoned by many of us. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Title borrowed from a MCR song. I thought it fitted the theme, you’ll see. I don’t own any of the characters from The Old Guard, but I love them so much and I hope I made them justice. Netflix, don’t sue me! And please, announce the sequel already!! Thank you, bye!!!

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicky looked up to the sky, not a single cloud in the sky to cover them from the scorching sun. He could feel his upper body sweating under his hoodie and the tactical bulletproof vest he was wearing. Copley had provided them safe air passage to the city of Oaxaca, located in one of Mexico’s southern states. From there, they had made their way south by land into the mountains of Sierra Madre del Sur, dozens of miles away from the state’s capital city. 

He looked down again, continuing to scout the terrain through the scope of his sniper rifle. Vegetation in the area was mainly composed by bushes that barley had any green on them, testament to the dry weather that prevailed in the region. The location offered just enough cover for them not to be easily spotted with its uneven ground. In a little plain just in front of them, 4 pick-ups and trailer with a large white container stood over the light brown soil.

It was supposed to be an easy in and out mission. Rivaling cartels in the area had arranged an exchange. In accordance with Copley’s research and the reports he received from his contacts in the area, a trailer loaded with hundreds of kilos of cocaine and an unspecified number of captives was going to be traded by one of the gangs in exchange for safe passage to receive a shipment at the end of the month across state borders through the lands controlled by their rivals. Local law enforcement had already been paid handsomely to look the other way, so there was nothing stopping the exchange from happening. They were expecting few men at the site but well-armed.

It was their third mission since Nile joined the team and Booker left. They were slowly but surely getting used to work as a unit, playing on the strengths of their newest teammate. She had already proved herself to be a valuable asset, Andy having been training her non-stop for almost a year, combined with her previous experience in the Marine corps.

Nicky watched intently as five men descended from the trucks, assault rifles in hand. They stood there, flexing and stretching their backs and arms after having been waiting inside for at least a couple of hours. One of them kept on looking at his watch, rubbing his hand over his forehead.

“Guys, I don’t think the others will show up… they should have been here an hour ago.” Nicky heard Nile say through his earpiece.

They had split up to cover more area, Andy and Nile taking post just across from them. The plan was to wait for the other party to arrive and take both groups out before the exchange could take place.

“They are getting impatient…” Joe commented, his voice low right next to Nicky, where he was keeping watch through a pair of binoculars.

“They always show up, deal is good enough to just let it blow up…” Andy assured them over their comms, “Be ready, it could be any minute now.”

They continued to watch in silence, tension palpable in the air around them. Ten minutes had passed when they heard the soft purr of tires rolling over loose ground, watching as two white SUVs reached the rendezvous point, leaving a shallow cloud of dust in their wake. Seven men descended from the vehicles, equally armed to the teeth. One of them approached the man with the watch, shaking hands with him briefly. Apparently, the lack of punctuality on their part wasn’t going to be a problem in carrying out the exchange. Their conversation seemed to be going well, both their faces relaxed as their mouths moved, the sound of what was being said muted by the distance separating them. 

“That’s it. We are going in. Once we are in position, shoot as many as you can. We’ll use the distraction to ambush and take out the ones left standing. Remember to aim away from the trailer box at all times. We don’t want any innocents getting hurt.” Andy’s firm and clear command resounded in his ear. 

“Copy that, boss” Nicky answered, breathing slowly to keep as steady as possible.

Barely a minute had gone by when he saw Andy’s signal. He adjusted his aim, pointing directly at the head of the man with the watch, taking the shot. He watched as his mark fell to the ground. Fast as a lightning bolt, he aimed to the man standing next to his victim, surprise written all over his face. He squeezed the trigger watching him go down next to the other body. Through the scope, he could see as both groups of goons raised their weapons against their rivals in response, shouting at the others as shock and fear settled over them. Just as he had chosen his next target, he watched Nile appear with her gun trained on the same man, shooting him in the chest with precision. Both her and Andy had seized the opportunity created by the diversion Nicky had provided them and were making quick progress, bodies pilling on the ground around them. Gunfire arose as the men shot at their ambushers with little success. The wind carried the sound to the position Joe and Nicky occupied, like a distant echo from the noise that ringed through his earpiece. 

“Look, behind the red truck…” Joe murmured.

Nicky turned his attention to the spot his partner had singled out. Crouching behind the cabin remained one man, waiting for an opening to shoot at their assailants. He did not get the chance, as a bullet made contact with his head, leaving him dead on the spot.

“Clear!” Andy shouted, waiting for confirmation on their end. He turned to look at Joe, who was sweeping the plain, checking all the blind spots among the parked vehicles.

“All clear!” Joe finally relayed, putting down his binoculars.

“Get here ASAP, we need to move.”

“On our way.” Nicky announced, kneeling where he had been lying on his abdomen, starting to pack his riffle on his duffel bag. Joe handed him the binoculars, which he also stashed in the bag. He looked up at Joe, who was offering his hand to help him stand. Nicky grabbed it, pulling himself up.

They walked side by side at a fast speed, guns ready in their hands. They needed to get clear of there, in case someone on either group had managed to send a message, asking for back up. They could hear their teammates over the comms, opening and closing the doors of the trucks, still searching for possible survivors before declaring the site secured.

“Heading to the trailer…” Nile informed them, her voice as firm as Andy’s had been just minutes before the shootout. 

They were halfway there when the distant sound of the butt of one of their riffles smashing against metal reached them, making him assume they were possibly trying to get rid of a padlock to open the trailer box.

Suddenly, panicked cries erupted in his ear most likely coming from the people inside the trailer.

“Uh, guys…” Nile’s trembling voice came through the earpiece. Nicky could sense something was wrong even before the screaming started.

“¡Bajen sus pistolas!” [ _Lower your guns!_ ]

Nicky and Joe were already running to the site, listening as the shouting continued. They reached two of the trucks parked right next to the trailer, splitting up to crouch behind them, facing each other. Joe raised his head just above the black hood of the pick-up. Nicky mirrored him, trying to peek at what was going on without exposing his position. They had a decently unobstructed view of the side of the trailer where they spot Andy standing next to Nile, their guns still aimed to the back of the white box. The one thing they couldn’t see was the opening of the container and its interior. 

“¡Bajen sus pistolas o los matamos!” [ _Lower your guns or we kill them!_ ] a couple of male voices yelled, accompanied by the anguished cries of their captives. _God, there are children inside…_ Nicky realized, listening to the cacophony emanating from inside the trailer. He turned to look at Joe, who looked back at him with a worried but determined look in his eyes.

“Maybe we can work out a distraction from our position… Boss, I think it will be best to do as they say, we’ll take it from here.” Joe faltered, hoping to help deescalate the situation.

As soon as Nile and Andy dropped their guns and raised their open palms, two armed men descended from the container. They were pointing their guns at the women in front of them, motioning for them to get down on the ground. Both complied, kneeling while keeping their arms in the air trying not to spook them which could cause them to react badly. Nicky could only imagine Andy’s face, surely rolling her eyes at the absurdity of it all. It wasn’t the best plan, considering the thugs now knew they could use their captives as leverage against them, but he didn’t doubt for a second that they could go through with their threat. They couldn’t risk it, not when innocent lives were on the line.

Shortly after, three more men emerged from the trailer. He could hear a woman howling from inside the container, begging them not to hurt her son. Nicky was now able to notice one of the goons was dragging a terrified child, arm around his chest. The other two thugs spun toward their hiding place, staring at the carnage left behind. Joe and Nicky ducked fast behind their cover.

“¡Era una trampa! ¡Esos malditos hijos de puta nos tendieron una trampa!” [ _It was a trap! Those sons of bitches set us up!_ ] A man hollered near them. 

“¡Tenemos que irnos, wey!” [ _We need to go, dude!_ ] Someone nervously added.

“¿Y qué hacemos con ellas?” [ _And what do we do with them?_ ]

“¡Mátalas! ¡Pues qué más, wey!” [ _Kill them! What else, man!_ ]

Nicky grimaced at that, once more peeking above the hood of the truck. He could see all of them had turned around to face Andy and Nile, guns trained on them. The man holding the kid hostage was closer to them, at the back of the group. They could try to surprise them from behind, but it was going to be hard to do it without possibly harming the kid. They had to try taking the little boy out of harm’s way, before they could decide their next move. 

“¿Y luego qué, wey? ¿Qué tal que hay más cerca? Podrían seguirnos…” [ _And then what, dude? What if there’s more of them close? They could follow us…_ ]

“Más ¿quiénes?” [ _More, who?_ ]

“¡No sé, wey! No se ve que sean de por estos rumbos. ¡Quién sabe quién las mandó! Podría haber más cerca. ¿Qué harían dos mujeres solas por estos rumbos?” [ _I don’t know, dude! They don’t look like they are from around here. Who knows who sent them! For all we know, their back up could be close. What could two women be doing around here on their own?_ ]

Nicky watched as Andy smirked at that, still holding her stance on the ground. He turned his attention back to the two men, as they continued their back and forth.

“¡No creo que haya nadie más! Ya estarían aquí si así fuera.” [ _I don’t think there’s anyone else! They’d be here already, if that were the case._ ]

“¿Y qué tal si sí?” [ _And what if there is?_ ] A third man jumped into the discussion.

“¿Viene alguien más?” [ _Is someone else coming?_ ] The man closer to Andy asked her, pulling his gun near her head. Andy just glared at him impassively, letting the question hang in the air.

If they killed them, they would probably come back to life. But having them incapacitated would prove to be more of a disadvantage if they wanted to get the upper hand. Nicky looked back at Joe, holding his stare as both continued to listen, not sure of what to do just yet.

“¡No escuchaste, perra! ¿Alguien más viene? ¡Respondeme…” [ _Didn’t you listen, bitch! Is someone else coming? Answer me…_ ] The goon closest to the trucks fumed, proceeding to adjust his hold on the kid, pointing his gun to his little head, “…O lo mato!” [ _…Or I kill him!_ ] The boy started to cry. Nicky saw Nile turning to look at Andy, her eyes pleading with her to do something. Another screech sprang from inside the trailer.

That was it for him. Having the kid as collateral was not an option. Nicky made his decision fast, raising his open hand chest level to indicate his partner to wait in his position. Joe nodded back, readjusting his grip on the gun in his hands. Nicky moved his own to his back, holstering it inside his pants’ waistband. He took a deep breath, sparing one last glimpse at Joe before rising with a swift motion, putting his hands up. He walked around the vehicle quietly, closing the distance between him and the thugs. 

“¡No disparen!” [ _Don’t shoot!_ ] Nicky’s voice raised up above the sound made by the weeping child. In a split second, the three men closest to him turned around to face him, all their guns pointed at his chest. The other two went to stand behind the women, still aiming at them.

Nicky resumed walking toward them, taking a couple of tentative steps in their direction.

“¡No te muevas! ¡Dije que no te muevas!” [ _Don’t move! I said don’t move!_ ] The mand directly in front of him barked.

“Está bien, está bien.” [ _All right, all right._ ] Nicky stopped, moving his hands up and down as a sign for them to calm down. He was now barely twenty feet away from them. 

“¡Ves, te lo dije! Tenía que haber más.” [ _See, I told you so! There had to be more of them._ ] The one standing behind Andy snapped.

“¿Quién los envió?” [ _Who sent you?_ ] the question interrupted his thoughts. He veered to see the boy in the eyes, the corner of his lips lifting just a tiny bit in a subtle smile. However, the kid’s panicked cries didn’t stop. 

“Todo va a estar bien. No voy a dejar que te lastimen. Te lo prometo.” [ _Everything is going to be fine. I’m not going to let them harm you. I promise._ ] He promised, voice soft. He sighed in relief as the child stopped crying, one last whimper escaping the boy’s lips. Nicky could only hope he could keep his pledge.

“¡Deja de hablarle, estás hablando conmigo!” [ _Stop talking to him, you are talking with me!_ ] the man closest to him hollered, shaking his gun toward Nicky. He was unhinged, which made him unpredictable. One wrong move and… Nicky struggled not to think about it.

“Nadie nos envió.” [ _No one sent us._ ] He stated as he turned his sight away from the kid for the moment. His face hardened instantly as he met the gangster’s eyes. 

“¡Uy sí! Entonces, ¿qué hacen aquí?” [ _Bullshit! Then, why are you here?_ ]

“Sólo queremos el trailer. Déjenlo aquí y los dejaremos ir.” [ _We are just here for the truck. Leave it behind and we’ll let you go._ ] Nicky lied.

“¿Y qué te hace pensar que es así de fácil? ¡Perderíamos millones!” [ _And what makes you think we will surrender it so easily?_ _We would lose millions!_ ]

“Es la única forma en que se irán de aquí vivos.” [ _It’s the only way you are going to leave this place alive._ ] They would never let that happen, but it was worth the try. The men in front of him laughed at that, clearly amused by Nicky’s words. 

“Ah, ¿sí? Somos más que ustedes, tres contra cinco. Y dos son mujeres.” [ _Is that so?_ _We outnumber you, three to five. And two of you are women._ ] The thug taunted, tilting his head slightly back as to make clear who he was referring to, mocking smile on his face. Nicky smirked back at him, the man was clearly in over his head and he didn’t even know it.

“Ahora, siguen sin contestar mi pregunta. ¿Alguien más viene?” [ _Now, you all still haven’t answered my question. Is someone else coming?_ ]. The man folded his arm again, directing the barrel of his gun to the kid in his hold. He could see the boy starting to shake again, fear marring his face once more. 

“Nadie más viene.” [ _No one else is coming._ ] Nicky replied steadily, his eyes drawn to the kid’s again. “Ahora, deja de...” [ _Now, stop…_ ]

“Ven, les dije que no venía nadie más. ¡Mátenlas y vámonos!” [ _See, I told you there was no one else coming. Kill them and let’s go!_ ] The man interrupted.

Everything happened so fast from that moment on. Nicky watched as the man’s arm straightened again in his direction. He stared at the gun, hands reaching instinctively to the one behind his back. He couldn’t pull it out quickly enough. The thug standing on his left reacted to his sudden change in position, firing his weapon. The bullet hit him on the shoulder and was immediately followed by another one coming from the gun right in front of him.

“Noooo!!” Joe’s strangled scream roared in his ears as he collapsed on his back. The world started to get out of focus, his body thrashing over the ground below him. Nicky panicked briefly, fighting to catch a breath but failing as he gagged in the blood pooling in his mouth. The damage left behind by the bullet that had gone through his throat was too extensive. Looming darkness welcomed him with open arms. _Please, let no one else get hurt,_ he thought as he drifted further and further away. The sound of shots fired was the last thing he registered as his eyes closed and he let himself go.


	2. Darkness

**Chapter 2: Darkness**

“Nicolò… Nicolò, per favore destati! Destati!”

The sweet but insistent voice coming from above him was dragging him away from the darkness that surrounded him. It was a welcomed sound; one he would follow no matter how deep he sometimes found himself submerged in it.

He opened his eyes slowly, closing them again reflexively at the blinding light that met them. He sensed someone moving above him. The red color of the inside of his eyelids turned gradually black, his face having been effectively shielded from the sun. Hands framed the sides of his head, thumbs rubbing softly at his cheeks. 

“Nicolò…” 

He tried opening his eyes once more. Joe’s face greeted him with a mask of worry that instantly changed into one of relief.

“Sono qui, amore mio...” [ _I’m here, my love…_ ] Nicky smiled subtly, raising his right hand to Joe’s cheek to return the caress. Joe lowered his head, their foreheads touching lightly. He got lost in his lover’s eyes, overwhelmed with the devotion and joy he saw in them. He would never get tired of that wholesome sight that made his soul soar.

“Guys, I really really hate to interrupt you, but we need to move.” Nile´s apologetic voice seeped through his ears, breaking the trance he had fallen into.

“Yeah, we should go…” Nicky murmured, seeing how Joe started to pull away from his face, still mindful of blocking the sun with his body. His hands retreated from where they had encircled his head, leaving it free to move around. His brown eyes were still watching him intently, a soft smile decorating his face. Just as he was about to bring down the hand he had placed on Joe’s cheek, one of his partner’s hands took it carefully, lowering it to his side while intertwining their fingers. 

Nicky turned his sight away from Joe, still laying on the ground. He watched Nile walking toward the trailer, spotting the bodies she gracefully sidestepped as she moved away from them. Just like a wave against the rocks of a cliff, everything that transpired moments before his death crashed against him. The exchange, the thugs, their guns, the captives, the diversion, the kid…

“Joe… What happened? Is the boy all right?” he requested, suddenly anxious after such a blissful moment. He tried to sit up, Joe helping him to do it by propping him with his free hand on his back.

“He is fine… After they shot you, he bit the arm of the man who was holding him. Andy and Nile managed to subdue the men behind them long enough for me to take care of the others. Andy took the boy to his mother. Everyone inside is fine, all things considered. Although, I think it would be great if you could check them up. Some wounds here and there from their ordeal.”

He sighed with relief, squeezing his partner’s hand gently. Joe stood up, keeping his hold on Nicky’s hand, hinting at him to follow him by firmly pulling at his arm. 

“I’ll need my bag, there’s a first aid kit inside.” He said as he locked his feet under his body, grunting at the effort.

“Already got you covered…” he hadn’t noticed Andy approaching them, smiling widely at the two of them. Nicky let go of Joe’s hand and walked a couple of steps toward Andy. “By the way…” she continued, “…you call that a distraction?”

“Not exactly the type of distraction I was thinking about. Sorry, boss.” Nicky replied, blushing a little at the roasting of their leader.

“Well, at least it worked.” Andy quipped, shrugging while handing him his bag. 

“Yeah, but it was quite reckless. I should have followed you, my love. Maybe that way we could have worked out something else together.” Joe scolded tiredly. He turned away from their eldest to meet his eyes. Some of the happiness Nicky had saw in them just moments ago was now trickling down away from them.

“Yeah… Probably not your brightest idea, Nicky. But the good thing is that…” 

“Mi dispiace, hayati…” [ _I'm sorry, my life..._ ] Nicky blurted out, interrupting Andy mid-sentence. “I probably didn’t think it through as well as I thought I did. The boy… I just couldn’t…” Joe nodded, granting his forgiveness. He lowered his eyesight, spotting a smear of red on Joe’s hip, just below the space covered by his bulletproof vest.

“They shot you…” Nicky stated, unable to turn his eyes away from the spot.

“Just grazed, don't worry… It has already healed.” Joe reassured him. Nicky returned to look him in the eyes, nodding once as he had seen him do in return. They both turned to look at their boss, loving smile on her face. 

“Well, let’s go!” Andy exclaimed, already making her way to the cabin of the trailer. 

“I’ll go seat with Andy on the front. Nile said she wanted to ride on the back, so you’ll probably find her there. I’ll see you in a few hours.” Joe smiled, parting ways with him and readily trotting behind Andy.

Nicky mirrored him, making his way to the back of the trailer. He climbed inside, taking it all in at once. There was at least a couple dozen human beings sitting with their backs against the walls of the box. Men and women and children from different ages. Many turned to look at him, on alert. He raised his hands like he had done before, trying to appear as less of a threat to them as possible. Some of them looked away from him, others kept watching him curiously. The space was poorly lighted by some tubed lights spread out on the walls. He identified their newest teammate, who was talking with a woman near the far end of the container.

“Nile!” he called her.

“Coming!” she answered as she finished her chat with a courteous nod, walking toward him. 

“Joe told me some people needed to be checked up...”

“Yes, I’ll direct you to them once we get moving.” Nile moved to stand next to him. “I talked with all of them. Found out most of them are immigrants from various countries in Central America, the rest are locals.”

“They were probably going to be used as drug mules to move the cocaine across the US border.” Nicky asserted, grim look on his face.

“Good thing we stopped that from happening.” Nile smiled while going to the opening behind him. “Let me close the doors and let Andy know we are good to go.”

“Wait, let me take out some flashlights.” He said, rummaging through the things in his bag. He handed one of them to her and secured the rest in his pockets. Nile closed the doors and headed to the opposite side of the container, banging at the metal end. They felt the motor start racing as the trailer started moving. Nile returned to his side. She looked at him and pointed to his throat.

“I don´t mind it, but I think you should wash some of the blood away before you get close to them.”

Nicky could only assume how he must look. He did as she suggested, rubbing the skin of his face and neck with a wet piece of gauze. He didn’t want to inadvertently add on to the trauma of this people. 

“Better?” He asked. Nile pointed the flashlight towards him, taking a good look at him.

“Better.” She confirmed. “Let me show you who needs your help.”

The road was a little bumpy, so they relied on supporting their weight by extending their arms to place a hand to the wall closest to them as they moved through the container. Nicky tended to some bruises and shallow cuts with efficiency, making his way through the occupants of the vessel. Nile followed him around, helping with some sprained wrists and ankles here and there. They handed some people the flashlights he had kept on him, gradually illuminating every corner of the enclosed space.

When they finally reached the far end of the container, Nicky’s eyes got stuck in the shape of the little boy he had tried to protect. He was sleeping almost peacefully in the lap of his mother, a hint of unease making itself known by a small frown. She looked up and smiled at them as they approached her, rubbing the hair in the head of her son. He could vividly remember the howling and the begging he heard when the men exited the container after Andy and Nile surrendered, having taken the boy away from this very woman.

“Nicky, estos son Elena y su hijo, Carlos.” [ _Nicky, these are Elena and her son, Carlos._ ] Nile introduced them with a kind smile on her face, tapping Nicky in the shoulder, urging him to stand closer to them. He crouched in front of the woman, extending his hand to greet her. Elena took it with both hands, instead of just shaking it.

“No tengo palabras para agradecerles lo que han hecho por nosotros. ¡Dios se los pague!” [ _I don’t have the right words to thank you for what you have done for us. May God return it to you!”_ ], she sobbed kissing Nicky’s hand adoringly, tears filling her eyes.

“No hay nada que agradecer. Nos da gusto poder ayudar.” [ _There’s nothing to thank us for. We are glad we could help._ ] Nicky stated firmly. As he continued to watch her, his face turned soft. Emotions were contagious after all. 

“Muchas gracias…” [ _Thank you very much…_ ] she insisted, letting go of his hand.

“¿Están bien? ¿Alguna herida que necesite atención?” [ _Are you okay? Any wounds that may need attention?_ ] Nicky inquired, searching their bodies with a glance for anything that could indicate they needed assistance.

“No, estamos bien. Juntos.” [No, we are fine. Together.] She announced, dropping her eyesight to look at his boy, continuing to smooth the hair on his head with her hand.

“Estaremos por allá si necesitan algo." [ _We’ll be over there if you need anything._ ] Nile offered, starting to retreat.

Nicky looked at them one last time, happy he could keep his promise to the boy. He stood up and followed Nile, sitting down next to her, close to the container’s doors. 

“My Spanish is a little rusty. Haven’t used it that often since I joined the Marines. It’s seems like a lifetime ago…” Nile commented, while checking her handgun under the light of the flashlight Nicky had given her. She let it rest to her side, ready if needed.

“I think it’s pretty good.” He argued, a little smile on his lips.

“Weird time for this question but, how did you learn to speak it?” Nile asked, turning to look at him.

“Joe and I spent maybe three or four decades in Spain over the course of two different centuries. Since then, it had come in handy every once in a while.”

“Yeah, today was a particularly good example of that. I think I couldn’t have handled the situation as well as you did if I had been in your place. I just feel… overwhelmed thinking about all the languages I’ll have to learn just to keep up with you guys, for myself to be able to handle something like what happened today. Don’t get me wrong, sounds really exciting but… well… yes, very overwhelming.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll have time. Besides, some of the ones we know are no longer widely used, so you won’t have to waste time with those. Unless you want to.”

“Nah, I’ll leave those to yourselves. Most of the time, I do want to know what you are talking about, but other times, I’m fine with not knowing.” She said, winking and smirking mischievously at him, elbowing him teasingly for good measure.

“Who knows, maybe some new ones will come up in the future, and we’ll learn them together.” Nicky stated, looking up and resting his head over the metal wall behind him.

“Yeah, you are right... But still, the fact that I’m going to keep on living for a long time is something I’m still trying to wrap my mind around.” Nile faltered, moving her hands up to grab her head.

“I’m sure you’ll eventually make peace with it, as we all did. That you have thoroughly embraced the mission is going to help you a lot on your way there. Trust me.” He reassured her, the last part coming out a little slurred. Nile put down one of her hands to rest on top of Nicky’s thigh.

“Are you OK? It’s just…” She hesitated but pressed her lips together as if determined to continue, “I remember the first time I died, quite frankly the worst death I have experienced so far. Dying by choking on your own blood takes a lot of time…"

“Yeah, it was very unpleasant. I’m fine now, just a little tired.”

“A little?” Nile scoffed at that. “You forget that I know what waking up from death feels like…”

“Well, very tired.” He corrected himself, conceding. 

“Get some sleep, Nicky. I’ll keep watch, let you know when we get to the shelter.”

“Grazie, Nile.” [ _Thank you, Nile._ ] He whispered as he took the hand she had placed over his leg with his.

Nile moved closer to him, Nicky interpreting it as an invitation for him to rest against her. He leaned toward her, closing his eyes. The sound of the motor lulled him into a deep slumber.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

They had left the captives they had rescued at a shelter for immigrants, the people volunteering there promising to help them get to wherever they needed to go next. Nicky waved his hand good-bye in Elena and his son’s direction. He watched as Carlos smiled shyly, clinging to his mother’s legs while waiving his little hand at him in return.

The team climbed back inside the trailer and continued their journey, abandoning the trailer at a highway after leaving an anonymous tip for the army to find it and dispose of the drugs still stashed inside the container.

Andy had driven the whole three hours it took them to get from where they picked up the car Copley had waiting for them at a near low transited road, to their safe house. Nile offered to ride shotgun, even though she looked like she was going to fall asleep at any minute instead of keeping an eye on the road. Nicky could listen to her having a light conversation with Andy from the back seat where he was sitting right next to Joe.

His back was resting over his lover’s chest. Joe had one of his arms around Nicky’s shoulders, the other one laying over his lap, close to his abdomen. Nicky had tried to start some kind of conversation with him several times, unsuccessfully. Occasionally, he would steal a glimpse of his partner. Joe kept his eyes trained on the darkness outside the window, looking absently at the traffic lights from the vehicles that passed them by on the road.

Maybe having left Joe alone to reflect on the recent events by himself hadn’t been the greatest idea when they decided to split up to different parts of the trailer. Every time one of them died on the field, they tried to stay together after it, to comfort each other. This time, they didn’t get the chance to do it. They didn’t expect things to turn out the way they did, after all. Nicky tried not to read to much into it, opting to distract himself by attempting to listen to what the two women in front of him were talking about.

It was late into the night when they finally arrived to the safe house, located in the beach town of Crucecita. The house was big but secluded. One of those timeshare accommodations near the sea. They were going to wait for extraction there for a couple of days, the town chosen during planning for its strategical proximity to an international airport. It was also a very touristic area, so they would not stand out too much among the visitors. 

Andy parked right next to the house. They all got out of the vehicle in silence, walking toward the trunk of the car to gather their things. Nicky put the string of his duffel bag around his shoulders and picked up a backpack that contained some clean clothes for he and his partner. He watched as Nile and Andy lifted their backpacks and moved them to their backs, closing the lid.

Joe was already standing next to the door. The rest joined him and in response to Andy’s signal, Joe opened the door. He let Andy go in first, gun in one hand while holding a turned-on flashlight with the other. Joe went in next, taking the stairs to check the upper level. Nile and Nicky waited outside, keeping watch of the surrounding area.

“Clear!” Came the loud voice of Andy from inside, shortly followed by Joe´s confirmation.

He let Nile get inside before him. The interior was well-lit by some ceiling lamps. Nicky was entering the house when he stumbled right below the door’s frame, falling on his knees heavily. He was trying to stand up when he felt Joe’s hands on one of his arms, struggling to help him stand.

“Nicolò, are you okay?” He asked him, concern in his face.

“Si, amore…” [ _Yes, love…_ ] Nicky answered, a little embarrassed at himself for making Joe worry about him. He wasn’t clumsy at all, so he could only blame it on his fatigue. Once he locked his feet under him, he turned his head to look back to where he had fallen. The floor was a bit elevated just under the doorframe. “I didn’t see where I was stepping because of the bag.” He felt the familiar feeling of Joe’s eyes scanning him but lifting their sight away from him after finishing their sweep.

They walked toward the kitchen where Nile and Andy were taking things out of the fridge.

“You must be starving.” Andy observed, pointing at Nicky with her head while preparing a sandwich.

“Actually, I’m way more tired than hungry. I should probably shower and go to bed.” Nicky let out, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand.

“Let me help you with this.” Joe murmured, already pulling at the string of the duffel bag to take it off from Nicky´s shoulders. He complied, readjusting his grip on the backpack in his hands which was infinitely lighter than the bag filled with his equipment.

“See you guys in the morning.” Nile told them as they were leaving.

Joe climbed the stairs behind him, following closely as Nicky took in the premises: three bedrooms to the left, each with a bathroom on the opposite side of the corridor they were walking through. Nicky gravitated toward the one furthest from them, switching the lights on as he walked in. It was spacious, green and white tiles decorating the walls around them. There was a tub with a shower head at the back, concealed by a white curtain. The sink, coupled to a big dressing table, was closer to the door. Between them, a toilet seat completed the room.

Nicky watched his reflection on the huge mirror mounted over the dressing table. He looked worse than he previously thought, little specks of blood still visible on his face even after having wiped his skin on the trailer. His clothes were also stained with red spots and light brown dust. Beyond all, he looked very tired. He caught Joe staring at him in the mirror, which caused his partner to look away as their sights met.

“Now it is my turn to ask. Are you all right, Yusuf? You seem… distracted.” Nicky uttered, switching to their blend of Italian and Arabic. That last term didn’t actually fully convey the impression he was getting from him, but he couldn’t think of another way to put it into words.

“Just tired, same as you.” He shrugged.

Joe lowered the duffel bag on the floor. Nicky did the same with the backpack he was holding. Joe approached him, helping him to get out of the bullet proof vest. Nicky cautiously looked at Joe, trying to decipher his visage. The light he had saw in his eyes just hours ago had almost completely vanished from them by now, making them look empty, distant. But that wasn’t what preoccupied him the most. The way Joe’s eyes kept averting his own was something he had never experienced before. He firmly believed his and Joe’s eyes were like opposite poles of two magnets, always attracting each other, no matter what the emotion they might be conveying could be: whether it was hate; like it used to be when they first met on the battlefield, or love; every day of their lives since deciding to take the step to confess how they felt about each other. But they would always lock in place, that was just a constant that had been true for centuries. 

It had been a particularly brutal mission, even without considering the way he had died. He knew how much it pained his lover to watch him get hurt, so he consciously avoided it at all costs. They both did. Today, the situation had slipped through his fingers, resulting in… well, death. The last time it had happened was almost a year ago, after Merrick’s goon had shot him by shoving his gun in his mouth. But not even then had Joe reacted this oddly. He wasn’t going to push him; Joe would talk to him when he felt ready to discuss his feelings with him. But he would be lying to himself if he pretended it didn’t hurt him not knowing what was causing his behavior to be this dire.

Nicky continued to take his clothes off, walking to get the hot water on the shower running. He veered to glance at Joe to see if he was doing the same when he noticed him moving toward the bathroom door.

“Aren’t you coming?” Nicky whispered. 

“I n-n-need to get something I left in the car. Go ahead, _habibi_ … I’ll c-catch up with you in a moment.” He faltered, his usually relaxed shoulders tensing. 

“Can’t it wait?” he asked, seeing right through the unbelievably bad excuse of his partner. _Don’t go._

“I’ll be back before you even notice.” Joe responded sharply. 

“I’ll save you some hot water.” Nicky mocked, hoping to light up the mood in the room just a little. Joe smiled faintly at that, his eye wrinkles not making their usual appearance. He opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him.

He marched into the tub, turning the cold water on to make the stream go warm. When he was finally pleased with the temperature, he started washing his head, arms and legs absent mindedly. He finished scrubbing the rest of his body somewhat quickly, but stayed standing under the spray, relishing on the feeling of the water hitting his skin. His thoughts were fogged by the immense tiredness he felt in every fiber of his being. He would make sure to avoid death by severed carotid artery as much as possible in the future, the aftereffects being very bothersome. Minutes went by, but Joe did not return. He closed the taps and grabbed a towel to dry himself, going for the bag that contained their clothes, muscle memory getting him through the process of getting dressed as his mind drifted further away. Finally, he opened his duffel bag to retrieve his handgun.

Nicky walked out the bathroom. He vaguely thought about heading downstairs to look for Joe, but as he took the first step in that direction, his body crashed against Joe’s. The sudden collision dissipated some of the fog in his mind, returning him to a decent state of alertness. 

“I thought you said you would catch up with me.” He let out, stepping away from him.

“Sorry, Andy got me tangled in her phone call with Copley. I thought it would be quick but…” Joe stammered, trying to see Nicky in the eye but failing miserably as his eyes kept on dropping to look at the floor below him.

“I understand… I think there’s still hot water left. Do you want me to stay while you shower?” 

“No, I’ll be fine. Go ahead, you look like you could use some sleep. I’ll be there as soon as I end up washing myself.” He smiled but the grin still looked awkward between the curls of his beard.

“I’ll be waiting...” Nicky offered, making his way to the dormitory next to them. He watched as Joe quickly disappeared inside the bathroom before he was done twisting the knob he was holding to open the bedroom door. 

Moonlight seeped through the windows of the room, delicately illuminating the interior. Nicky headed for the bed, not bothering to turn on any more lights. He walked to the nightstand and placed the gun there, next to the lamp that decorated it. Then, he sat on the fluffy mattress, choosing to stay on the side closest to the door out of habit. He stayed like that for a few minutes before changing his position to lay down on his side, facing the door.

It was a hot summer night, the temperature warm enough for it to be comfortable to sleep over the covers. He pressed his head to the pillow. Fighting sleep in that position was not the best idea, but he was too tired to keep waiting for Joe sitting up. He watched the time on the bedside table clock, focusing on the green light of the numbers to keep himself awake.

Unexpectedly, he felt the bed dipping behind him, startling him a bit. He hadn’t listened to Joe entering the room. The time on the clock indicated that twenty minutes had gone by since the last time he could recall it displaying. He must have dozed off sometime in between, his body finally having given up after the eventful day he had had. 

“Sorry I woke you…”

He didn’t turn to look at him, not feeling able to bear his lover’s eyes not meeting his for what felt like the hundred time today. He continued to lie on his side, closing his eyes.

“I was waiting for you, remember?” Nicky reminded him with slurred speech. 

Joe didn’t say anything more, proceeding to settle in behind him in their usual sleeping position. Nicky had been foolishly entertaining the possibility that his lover might be mad at him for some reason, ever since the moment he used such a lame excuse to flee from the bathroom earlier, avoiding him not just with his eyes but with his whole being. But as Joe kept on moving closer to him, pressing his body against his back, tightening his embrace gradually around his arms, he felt that particular worry fading away. He fell asleep, thinking to himself that whatever was going on, they would work it out. They always did. 


	3. Confession

The sweet smell that filled the air around him was the first thing his consciousness registered before he opened his eyes. Nicky blinked twice, staring at the white ceiling above him. He adjusted his sight slightly toward the window, the direction in which the sunlight was entering through it indicating it was some time around noon.

He was starting to wonder why he had woken up laying on his back when his peripheral vision captured the dark shadow of Joe’s hair to his right. He nearly froze, unsure of turning to look at him, the events of the previous night still fresh in his mind. Nicky decided to do it anyway, rolling his head to the side very slowly. Joe was lying with his head resting over his folded arm just below the pillow. He was awake, staring blankly in his general direction with the saddest look he had ever seen on him. His tear-stained face gave away the fact that he had been crying at one point. Nicky wanted to erase the wet paths the tears had left behind but decided against it, scared of how Joe might react.

“Talk to me, _amore mio…_ ” He pleaded in their particular blend of languages, carefully observing his partner. He really didn’t want to push him but the vision before him compelled him to do it. Joe directed his sight to him, meeting his eyes for a few seconds before taking them away from him. Nicky flinched, almost imperceptible. 

“Is this about what happened yesterday? I swear to you, I regret having been so reckless and getting myself killed in the process. I’m so sorry, truly.” He blurted. He did not add any excuses as he had done before, because this was all he really wanted him to know.

Joe frowned deeply and opened his mouth as if he were going to say something but closed it immediately to grimace. He stayed like that for a couple of minutes but then Nicky was caught off guard when Joe’s sad eyes came back up to latch to his.

“Nicolò, I…”

The loud pounding on the door startled them both, making them turn toward it on alert. He instinctively grabbed the gun he had left over the nightstand. 

“Lazy heads, breakfast is ready! I made my signature cinnamon rolls and if you do not get downstairs fast, Andy is going to eat them all! Hurry up!” Nile’s commanding voice reached them through the closed door as they listened intently to the receding sound of her footsteps as she walked away.

Nicky relaxed his hold on the gun, leaving it to rest on the table. He turned to stare at Joe, who was now sitting on the bed with his legs crossed under him. He adopted the same position on his side of the bed. As he moved, he heard his stomach growl, tainting the seriousness of the moment. He ignored it; attention focused on the man in front of him. Joe was looking down, fidgeting nervously with the rings that adorned his slender fingers.

“You were saying…” he murmured, prompting his partner to continue after the interruption.

“You really should eat something…” Nicky objected with a groan. “Later, I promise.” Joe mumbled, rolling over the bed to sit on the edge.

“Okay…” Nicky sighed, doing the same. He stood up after putting his shoes on, making his way to the door. “You coming?” he probed while opening it.

“ _Si_ , I’ll be right behind you.” Joe replied. Nicky nodded, walking out of the room.

Once in the corridor, Nicky decided to make a quick stop to the restroom. He stepped in, closing the door behind him. He took off his sweatshirt, the weather having warmed up enough to make wearing it uncomfortable. He searched for the bag that contained their clothes, looking for a white T-shirt he knew was inside it. He found the backpack next to his duffel bag, closer to the tub than he remembered leaving it at. Some of his things were lying on the floor around it. He frowned, confused.

He knelt with some force next to them to pack them up, feeling a painful outbreak when his knees connected with the flat tiles. He twisted his body to sit on the floor, checking for the cause of such unexpected sensation, half anticipating to find broken glass on the floor. _What the…?_

Discovering nothing drove him to pull the fabric of the sweatpants he was wearing up to his thigh, exposing his right leg. He watched in complete shock as a big red bruise greeted his sight. _What…?_ His heart was racing, making him feel dizzy. _Nonononononono…. This cannot be true..._ He continued to stare while repeating the process with his other leg. _Nonononononononono… Not now!_

Nicky ended up sprawled on the floor, hyperventilating. His eyes were glued to the scarlet spots. He scraped vehemently, tracing angry circles over them with his hands, treating them as if they were dirt stains that could be rubbed clean. Watching his efforts turning out to be unsuccessful brought furious tears to his eyes. He surrounded his head with his arms, rocking his body back and forth slightly. _This can’t be, not now…_

The knocking on the door brought him back from his musings, startling him. 

“Nicky, are you okay?” Came Joe’s voice from the other side of the door.

He panicked, breathing hard. _Not now, not now, not now…_ He couldn’t do this now, not with his lover acting so strangely. He needed space to process whatever this was. Alone.

“Nicky?” The voice insisted.

“Yeah! Fine…” he answered, hoping for his voice not to betray him. _Liar… I’m not fine_ … _not at all._ He tried to breathe deeply, commanding his body to calm down.

Nicky scrambled on the floor, reaching for the backpack. He opened it, grabbing the white T-shirt and throwing it over his head to put it on. He quickly lowered the fabric of his pants to cover his legs again with shaky hands, positioning his limbs to push himself up. Once standing, he wiped the tears from his face forcefully with his palms. He headed to the door, hesitating. Nicky opened it anyways, finding Joe outside. He walked past him, quickly making his way to the stairs. He could sense Joe following him closely. Nicky made it downstairs, briefly catching a glimpse of Andy and Nile, who were sitting at the dining table, dishes and mugs empty in front of them. They looked at him curiously from their seats, instantly turning to look worriedly at the man behind him.

“Nicolò…!” Joe called him, voice desperate. Nicky didn’t turn to look at him, afraid that if he did, he would break right on the spot. _Not now…_

“I just need to take a walk.” He stated as he reached the front door, opening it quickly and disappearing through it. _Don’t follow me, please… Not now…_

He sprinted away from the house, relieved that no one had chased after him yet. Soon, he found himself at the intersection of the path that led to the house and a large street. It was busy with people strolling calmly in light clothes, most of them having the appearance of tourists. He extended his arm to lean on a tree, breathing in and out slowly. Having somewhat relaxed, he decided to get further away from the house, in case the others might come looking for him. _Not now…_

Step by step, he got to the center of the village. He saw a small kiosk in the middle of the main square, surrounded by well-maintained garden blocks adorned with benches. On one side of the plaza, he could see the Town Hall, and opposite to it, a church. The rest of the square was framed by stores that offered all kinds of stuff for tourists and locals. Large tourist buses drove through the narrow streets and around the plaza, cars honking occasionally, signaling them to get out of the way. 

It was Saturday and according to the clock on the top of the church tower, almost two o’clock in the afternoon. Nicky spotted families taking a walk on the plaza, some elders sunbathing with their clothes on while resting on the benches, kids running around while chasing doves, and some couples dancing to the joyful music played by a band in the kiosk.

He decided to sit on a bench, choosing one next to a tree, which casted a shadow over it. He continued to observe the people around him while stroking his knees, delicately this time.

He could have died yesterday, for good this time. The thought caused him to shudder, getting him winded again. _Breathe…_ He was not afraid of death. After all, it was something natural. They had always known that someday, their time would come, and they would finally get to rest. _Breathe…_ No, what truly terrified and pained him, throwing him in this state of hopelessness, was knowing very well what Joe´s reaction to his passing would be. _Breathe…_ Because he would react in the same way, if the roles were reversed. _Breathe…_ They both had had some heated arguments in the past, arguments where both had made it abundantly clear that they would try to follow if one of them ceased to exist before the other, too stubborn to have it any other way. _Breathe…_ The idea of having to live without a part of them for however long the thing that had put them in that position decided, too hard to bear. _Breathe…_ Sometimes, to help cool down those same discussions, he had sought to reassure the both of them with the notion that destiny could not be so cruel as to separate them in such a way. That they would leave this life together. Did he honestly believe that or was he just hoping it to be true with all his heart, afraid of the alternative? _Keep breathing…_

Now, they would have to have that same argument again. But this time, it would not be hypothetical. _Breathe…_ How was he supposed to convince his heart not to hurt himself in his quest to meet him on the other side after he died? How was he supposed to do it when he knew he himself would not agree to it if Joe was the one begging him not to do it? They still did not know how their powers worked. What if he kept trying to meet his death for years, decades, centuries unsuccessfully, making him bitter for the rest of his life? _Oh, my sweet Yusuf…_ How was he going to save him from the heartbreak that his unavoidable death would certainly bring him, if he were no longer around? Would Andy and Nile agree to keep him from doing something reckless, if he made them promise him? Would Booker be around if he asked it of him? Would that be fair to Joe, to Andy, to Nile, to Booker? Nicky blinked away the tears that had started to accumulate in his eyes, letting them roll down his cheeks. _Keep_ _breathing…_

A red ball hitting his shoes distracted him from his contemplations. He looked up, watching as a group of kids approached him. He kicked the ball toward them, smiling slightly as they thanked him and continued with their game.

 _I thought we still had much more time left…_ he lamented. He had always considered having had the opportunity to live for as long as he had to be a blessing, especially considering he had been lucky enough to have found someone to share it with. It would take him some time to get used to the idea that he no longer had eternity in front of him. He knew how fortunate he was but, it was human to always want more after all. _More time…_ Now, he would have to learn to live life trying to use the time he had left in the most meaningful way possible, like the people around him most certainly did in their, by comparison, extremely limited lifespans. Not that he had ever wasted a second of the time he had spent by Joe’s side, millions of memories over the centuries as proof. But perhaps now was the time to do some of the things they had been postponing under the assumption that they would have time in the future to carry them out.

He knew his lover would be by his side until his time came, there was no doubt of it in his mind. So, he intended on making this new period of their lives together something so memorable that Joe would be able to look back at it fondly, whenever he missed him after he passed. That was the least he could do for him, the only thing he could still control, and the only thing he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

Bells ringing right behind him drew his attention. He spun on the bench toward the church, watching as people congregated on the entrance. A bride and a groom ran through the path left for them, rice and rose petals being thrown as they passed. The sound of people cheering and laughing made its way to his ears, making him smile. 

He wiped his face with the bottom of his T-shirt. Maybe he would ask Joe to marry him one day, depending on how well he took the news of his newfound mortality. That was one of the things they had never gotten around to do in their very long lives.

They had witnessed marriage evolve from an agreement between third parties to form family alliances, transform all the way into a celebration of love. Both used to despise the idea, Joe always telling him that tags and titles conferred by marriage could never truly encapsulate what Nicky meant to him. The fact that many of the unions were planned without the consent of the couple added to their contempt toward it. But as the years went by and, not all but, at least more and more marital unions were prompted by genuine love and consent between two people, instead of means to get something like power or money, they became open to the idea. He could remember Joe had been thrilled to hear that people like them could now do it openly, with same-sex marriages finally being legalized in many parts of the world. He had even floated the idea to him once or twice. But something always came up that stirred them away from doing it. _Maybe now is the right time_ , he smiled at the thought.

Hours went by while he kept on wondering about all and nothing, only to be interrupted by the growling arising from his stomach. He had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t taken any money with him. So, there wasn’t much he could do about his hunger until he managed to return to the house. He stood up, flexing his limbs. The sun was almost down, the last sun rays painting the sky bright orange. He started to walk, struggling to remember where he had come from. He made a couple of wrong turns, but he finally found the path that led to the house. His heart felt heavy again, dreading what he will have to do once he reached the end of it. He guessed he’ll have to brave it, hoping for the best. _Please…_

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicky opened the front door, minding his steps to not trip again when entering the house. Everything was submerged in darkness, except for the living room which was dimly illuminated by a lamp located in the far corner. He could see the dark silhouette of someone sitting in the couch, fluffy hair giving away who it was. There was no sign of the others, at least downstairs.

He noticed as Joe stayed immobile, so he approached the sofa, going around it to stand in front of him. Whether he hadn’t noticed him looming over him or he was ignoring him, he could not tell.

“Where’s Andy? Nile?” He asked dubitatively, voice entirely too loud over the silence that floated in the room. 

“They went out for a drink, said not to wait awake for them…” The man answered in mixed Arabic and Italian, his sight lost someplace in front of him.

“Joe…” He mumbled.

“I’ve been sitting here all day, trying to think how I’m going to tell you what I have to say.” He paused, inhaling deeply. “You always praise me for how good I am with words, but right now, they seem to be cruelly eluding me.” Joe winced, closing his eyes forcefully.

He remained quiet, taking a seat on the couch next to him, waiting for him to continue. He also had something to tell him, he reminded himself. But he had to let Joe put whatever this was out of the way first because he didn’t know if he would be able to handle learning about Nicky’s lost healing abilities while dealing with something that was also clearly hurting him.

Joe opened his eyes again, slowly. He could see they were filled with tears. He turned his face to lock eyes with Nicky, clearly struggling to hold his gaze, but managing to do it for the longest time since they had parted ways next to the trailer. Nicky watched as his lover’s body stiffened, his lips gesticulating silent words. _Could it be…_

“I’m not healing…” His voice barely a whisper, breaking at the last syllable. “I’m not healing, Nicolò…” Joe sobbed, visibly shaking. He briskly pressed his face to Nicky’s chest while grabbing the fabric at the back of his T-shirt in his closed fists, muffled wails filling the room.

Nicky felt his eyes watering, unshed tears blurring everything around him. His emotions where all over the place: shock, relief, sadness, serenity. His eyelids closed, pushing the tears off his eyes. He surrounded the man in front of him with his arms, placing his open hands on his back.

“Oh, _hayati_ … It will be okay…” Nicky soothed him while rubbing his back gently. “Everything will be fine because I’m…”

“How can you say that? How can you say that when I know you would try to follow if something were to happen to me, only for it to result in causing yourself needless suffering?” Joe interrupted him, winded. He pulled away from him, incredulous look in his eyes.

“I’m not healing, either.” Nicky bluntly stated, finishing what he had started saying before he was interrupted.

“How…? When…? Y-you were gone, and y-you came back to me… I don’t…” Joe stuttered, frowning while catching his breath.

“I think that was the last time it worked.” Nicky observed, turning away to look at the spot where he had tripped the night before. It was as if he could see himself there, trying to get up with Joe’s help. “Today, I knelt on the bathroom floor and felt a sharp pain go all the way up my spine. At first, I didn’t connect the dots. Thought there was something on the ground beneath my knees. But then I saw two red bruises on them.” He heard himself distantly relay, having fallen into a trance. 

Joe returned to sit closer to him, his body still trembling here and there. He reached toward Nicky´s left knee with his hand, hesitating before patting it, making him turn his head back.

“You were right…” Joe sniffed. “… it is like you’ve always said, we leave this thing together.” His face contorted, chuckling between sobs. He closed the gap between them, moving in to embrace him. Nicky felt the wet tip of his nose buried in the spot between his neck and his shoulder. He mirrored him, weeping some more but with relief. Whether their current situation was due to divine intervention, karma, or destiny, as he liked to put it sometimes, he was glad he had been right all this time.

They clung to each other, starting to calm down as the minutes went by. Right there, in his lover’s arms, he sensed all the crushing feelings that had plagued his heart up to that moment, disappear. They were replaced by an invigorating wave of joy that took hold of him, making every fiber of his body vibrate.

“Marry me, Yusuf!” He uttered without thinking it through.

“What?” Joe withdrew clumsily, completely taken aback by Nicky’s words.

“Marry me, Yusuf…” he repeated, stressing every word while swiftly changing his position to sit on his lap, straddling his thighs with his toned legs. He carefully brushed the wet tracks left by the tears from his cheeks with his thumbs before locking his wrists around his nape. He noticed the exact moment the confusion and pain in Joe’s eyes turned into bliss, causing him to openly smile. The eye wrinkles he loved so much making their appearance to complete his ecstatic face.

“I would be honored…” he giggled, “…I’m all yours, you know that. Whatever you want, whenever you want it, it’s yours to take.” He sighed, wiping away Nicky’s tears with his fingers. 

“No time like the present…” Nicky teased, waiting for his lover to decipher the meaning of his words.

Joe looked at him for a few seconds. “Oh! You are serious…” he said, realization finally dawning on him.

“Of course I am!” That day, he had contemplated the possibility of unexpectedly dying. He was not going to risk it.

“What, like right now? I seriously doubt we could find someone to do it at this time.” Joe voiced, raising his eyebrows.

“Let’s run away tomorrow, just the two of us.” He felt a little guilty about sidelining Nile and Andy but all he needed in that moment was right there in front of him. There would be time for apologies later, although he suspected they would understand.

“All right, babe. You got it…” He accepted, closing in to press a languid brief kiss on Nicky´s lips. It was soft and reverent, allowing him to focus on the smell of Joe’s essence. 

“How did you find out?” Nicky wondered out loud.

“Bullet graze wound. At the site of the exchange.” Joe declared. Nicky remembered noticing the wound on his side after reviving the previous day. He processed the information, his mind conjuring a terrible concept: what if that bullet had hit him somewhere lethal? They had run into the mission without knowing it could have been Joe’s last, if things had turned out differently. He recoiled, burying the idea deep in his mind to not give it a second thought. They had been lucky, the man below him living proof of that. He had to hang on to that for him to not fall back into the anguish that had attempted to consume him earlier. He concentrated on the sight of his lover in front of him, alive and well.

“But… you told me it had healed.” He stared at him, puzzled.

“I wasn’t lying. I honestly thought it did. I don’t know… maybe the adrenaline numbed the pain down. But later, while riding to the shelter, it started to hurt again. That’s when I knew.” Now that he had the complete picture, he found it to fit perfectly with all the events that transpired after Joe followed Andy to the cabin of the trailer, helping explain his odd conduct from that moment on. 

“I thought you were angry at me or something. Last night, I thought I was going mad.” Nicky chuckled quietly.

“I would never be angry at you, _habibi_. Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know, I never would have guessed you were avoiding me because of this. Even though we have always known that losing our immortality was a possibility, I thought it would happen many more years from now. I now realize it was silly of me to think that. You have never given me reason to think that way after everything we’ve been through, but still…”

“Nicolò… forgive me, _cuore mio._ ” He murmured, his slightly moist eyes still watching him intently. “I should have told you sooner, but I couldn’t…”

Nicky pressed his lips against his to silence him, heavily. Joe moaned, opening his mouth, inciting. He took the hint, pushing his tongue inside it, feeling his partner’s tongue do the same, sliding against each other as they met in the middle. He grabbed the dark curls at the back of his head, continuing to run his lips messily over his. A pair of strong hands came to rest on his waist, kneading the flesh there firmly. He straightened his back to shove his body against Joe’s chest, starting to hump his hips passionately against the bulge in his partner’s pants, making them groan louder in each other’s mouths. Nicky adjusted his legs, straddling Joe’s hips with his knees. He marginally registered Joe’s body tensing under him. 

“Oww, oww, oww…” Joe hissed, breaking the kiss. The intensity of the moment had made him forget about the wound his lover had mentioned. In an instant, he felt his euphoria transform in concern.

“I’m sorry…” Nicky shifted awkwardly, backing away a little. Joe lowered his right hand to touch the spot where he had seen the red stain yesterday. He groaned when his palm made contact with it.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.” He assured him between shaky breaths.

“Let me take a look.” Nicky requested, still panting a little. Joe removed his hand, letting him do as he had asked. He proceeded to lift his shirt to examine the wound. He had covered it with a piece of gauze stamped sloppily to his skin with some medical grade tape. Nicky peeled off the bandage, exposing the gash.

“Oh, Yusuf…” Nicky sighed. The wound wasn’t big, merely an inch in length, but deep enough to require some stitches. It looked clean as if Joe had washed it before resorting to covering it up. Bloody fluid was scarcely leaking from one end while the skin at the borders was bright red, an early sign of infection.

“That bad, huh? I didn’t know what else to do with the stuff in your kit.”

“Well, you didn’t do it entirely wrong.” Nicky shrugged. He stood up, extending a hand. Joe took it and Nicky pulled faintly. “Come on, let’s get you patched up.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I pictured Nicky wandering around and taking a seat to think:  
> http://bit.ly/2WU3mIW  
> http://bit.ly/380956p


	4. Beach

They woke up early, beating Andy to it. Nicky gathered his first aid kit to change the wound dressing on Joe’s side. He was pleased to see that the antibiotic ointment he had used on the gash after stitching it close seemed to be working, the borders a lighter shade of red by now.

He proceeded to pack the kit along with a change of clothes and some cash in the backpack they shared, among other things he thought might come in handy. While he was at it, Joe went to pick a notepad and a pen from the coffee table to write a note, leaving it over the dining table when he finished. Nicky stood close enough to read it, the impeccable handwriting stating:

_We’ll be back tomorrow at noon. No need to worry._

_Love,_

_Joe & Nicky_

****

They got out of the house, closing the door very carefully, hoping not to wake up their teammates. Nicky put on the backpack, squaring his shoulders to distribute the weight evenly. They started striding side by side, enjoying the morning breeze. Birds chirping nearby accompanied the echo of their steps through the empty sidewalks. 

“Are we really going to get married in these clothes?” Joe quipped, his playful personality shining through, making Nicky’s heart flutter. His partner’s mood change was a breath of fresh air after the couple of days they just had had. 

“I’d still marry you even if you were only wearing a potato sack, _habibi_ …” Nicky flirted, making Joe laugh with his cheeky proposition, “… but I suppose we can do something about it. I think I remember seeing a small boutique downtown. Maybe we can find something there.” 

“Lead the way.” Joe grabbed his hand, interweaving their fingers. 

Nicky retraced his steps, walking through the same streets as the day before. The juxtaposition created by that action did not go unnoticed. While yesterday, he had wandered alone in despair; today, Joe was by his side and everything in his world felt right again.

Minutes later, they reached the center of the village. It was early, many businesses, including the boutique, were still closed. They decided to grab some breakfast, venturing into a small café that was open next to the main square. Nicky hadn’t realized how hungry he was, having not eaten much since this whole ordeal had begun. They ordered enough dishes to feed a small group, managing to finish every single one of them.

By the time they were done, the boutique had raised its metal curtain. A paper sign that read “ABIERTO/OPEN” was visible on the glass door. They stepped inside, a little bell ringing as the door closed behind them.

“¡Hola! ¿En qué puedo ayudarles?” [ _Hello! How can I help you?_ ] A young lady appeared on the far end of the store, coming out of the storage room. 

“Hi!” They both greeted her in unison, “Hmmm, we are looking for wedding attires.” Nicky conveyed with a fine smile on his face.

“Right… Groom or guest?” She asked, switching to speak in English.

“Groom.” Joe answered, beaming. Nicky noticed she was staring at their entwined hands, realization raining on her. She looked up again, cute smile on her lips.

“I think I have just what you are looking for!” She said giddily, signaling them to follow her.

She helped them choose a pair of fancy looking guayaberas. Joe put on a white one decorated with stripes of pleating embroidered with a delicate blue pattern, combining it with a pair of navy-blue pants. Nicky picked a similar one, but embroidered with beige thread, completing his outfit with dun-colored pants. They changed their clothes in the dressing room, later returning to the main area of the boutique. 

“¡Qué guapos!” [ _How pretty!_ ] The shopkeeper exclaimed with a grin. Nicky saw Joe blush a little at the compliment. “So, when is the big day?”

“Today.” Nicky answered, standing close to him.

“¡Felicidades!” [ _Congratulations!_ ] She cheered, joyfully clapping her fingers without making a lot of noise. 

“¡Gracias!” [ _Thank you!_ ] It was his turn to blush. “Actually, we were wondering if you knew where we could get married around here. It was one of those ‘heat of the moment’ decisions, but we really want to do it before we have to leave.”

“Town hall offices don’t officiate marriages with such short notice, but Huatulco is right around the corner. Perhaps, you’ll have better luck there. Beautiful beaches and I’ve heard some hotels offer improvised wedding plans. Are you inviting a lot of people?”

“No, not at all.” Joe turned to look at Nicky, both sharing complicit smiles.

“¡Ah! Entonces no tendrán ningún problema. [ _Ah! You’ll have no problem, then._ ] I can gift you some fliers that tourist guides leave for me to give away. I’m sure they are filled with options.”

“¡Estaría perfecto, gracias!” [ _That would be great, thank you!_ ] Joe uttered, receiving the papers she handed him. They paid for the clothes and left.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicky guided him to the benches of the plaza. They sat there, inspecting the fliers. They found one that they liked and walked back to the street. They hired a taxi which took them to the hotel they had selected in practically no time.

Once inside, he let his sight roam through the place, taking it all in. It was a big hotel, plants decorating the huge lobby area, colorful rugs matching equally colorful couches laying around them. Opposite to him, a big window offered unobstructed view of the bay. They headed to the reception area.

“Welcome! How may I help you, sir?” A male clerk addressed them with a smile.

“Hi. We were told we could book impromptu wedding services here.” Nicky probed.

“That’s correct!” The man readily declared, waiting for him to continue. 

“We don’t need anything extravagant, no guests either. Just someone to preside it. Today…” he hesitated.

“Let me check availability with the wedding planning department. One moment.” He politely stated as he took the phone head to his ear and dialed. Nicky waited for the call to go through, mentally crossing his fingers.

“Hola, ¿tenemos disponible algún oficiante para una boda hoy? Es sin invitados.” [ _Hi. Do we have a wedding officiant available for today? No guests._ ] They listened to the clerk asking the person on the other end.

“They are telling me there is availability. 5 pm at the beach, after another service.” He relayed.

“Perfect.” Nicky nodded.

“Your names?” The clerk asked.

“Joseph Jones…” he said, pointing to Joe. “Nicholas Smith.” He caught Joe smirking and laughing silently with the corner of his eye. The man in front of him didn’t notice as he hung up the phone.

“The wedding officiant will be waiting at the beach. 5pm. Anything else I can help you with?”

“We would like to book a room, too. Preferably with a big bed if you have it.” Joe inquired, handing the clerk his credit card. Nicky felt him squeeze his hand, causing his lips to curl up on one corner.

“Of course. Let me see…” He said, his eyes moving rapidly as he scrolled on his computer. “Oh! I think this one might be of your liking. King size bed. It is located on the third floor, comes with a view of the beach.”

“We’ll take it.” Joe confirmed. The man turned to pick the card a machine had just spitted out, handing both cards to Joe.

“Enjoy your stay, Mr. Jones.” He said with a courteous smile.

“Thank you!” Joe grinned, receiving the cards and turning to move away from the front desk. Nicky followed him walking by his side toward the elevators.

“We really should come up with other cover names…” Joe joked, making him snort.

They left their things in the room and spent the rest of the time exploring the hotel. They found a craft shop where they bought a pair of matching thin silver rings. They put them away in their pockets, saving them for later.

When it was finally time, they headed to the beach, taking their shoes off as they stepped into the sand. Joe took his hand again, motioning toward the wooden threshold installed further away, near the shore. Nicky could smell the fresh ocean breeze, feeling it rushing on his face. The sun was low, making the sea water appear dark blue, sparkling where it reflected the sunlight. There were only few groups of people around, most of them relaxing under the shade of big beach umbrellas. As they got closer to their destination, he spotted a woman standing under the arc. They approached her, walking around the chairs that were probably used in the previous ceremony.

“Nicholas? Joseph?” She inquired, waving her hand at them timidly.

“Yes.” They answered, moving to stand in front of her.

“Hi, my name is Liliana. I’m going to be presiding your wedding. Are we waiting for anyone else?” She asked while extending her right hand to them. They shook it to greet her. 

“No, just us.” Nicky confirmed.

“Okay, let’s begin.” She solemnly said, opening a little notebook and holding it in front of her to read. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union…”

Nicky distantly heard her speaking, his attention monopolized by the man he had to his side. He reached for Joe’s hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. Joe turned to him slightly, flashing him a smile before squeezing his hand softly. He tried to focus again on what was being said.

“… the success of any long-lasting marriage relies heavily in the ability of communicating with your partner. As long as you tell each other everything; good and bad, nothing will come between you. Talk to each other, compliment each other, comfort each other, argue with each other but later work out your differences with words, never keep anything from the other. Do that and you will be able to overpower anything that comes your way. Do that and the love you have for each other will always burn bright…”

His mind drifted away to the events of the last couple of days, the minister’s words perfectly summing them up. Through the centuries, he had had the good fortune of having someone to who he could confide everything to, not a secret kept from the other. He was glad that that continued to be true even as they began a new period in their lives together. 

“Now, we will do the exchange of vows and rings. Please, face each other and take each other’s hands.”

Nicky did as requested of him, marveling at the sight in front of him. Joe looked stunning under the fading sunlight, his smile a beacon that would always draw him home, for he was his home. He took his other hand, energy flowing through his body making him tremble with excitement. The officiant nodded at Joe. 

“ _Ya Amar,_ I was drawn to you from the moment we met.” Joe started, surprising him as he listened to him speaking in their mixed language in front of the officiant. “Having said that, I must accept that at first, the pull was motivated by hate, but later, watching you grow in spirit despite our bodies staying the same throughout our adventures over the years, my heart could no longer resist the pull you had on me, the same way the waves are at the mercy of the pull of the moon. Yesterday, your light shone over me like it always does, bringing me back from the claws of despair on what I believed to be the darkest of my days. I do not know how long we have, but I vow to love you and care for you until death comes to claim my soul for the last time. I promise to be by your side, reminding you how big my love for you is every chance I get. And I mean every chance, especially when people dare to undermine it. You know I don’t need excuses such as this one to put into words how much you mean to me. But I’m glad we are here, together. I have everything because I have you.” Joe pulled out the ring from his pocket, sliding it on the ring finger of his right hand. Nicky turned to look at him moved to his core.

The officiant turned her attention to Nicky, nodding at him to indicate him to continue. He licked his lips, hoping he would be able to gather his thoughts to voice his feelings in a somewhat coherent manner. 

“I have been incredibly fortunate to have known you for far longer than I ever imagined it to be possible before we met. Since the day we finally put our differences aside, you have always been by there by my side, my friend, my protector, my lover, the keeper of my heart. I thought doing this would be a great opportunity to remind you about how much I love you and a rite of passage to this new phase in our lives together. I’m glad you agreed to share this moment with me and if destiny continues to be on our side, I shall spend the rest of my life making all of the moments in our future to be as special as this day. I will always follow you, no matter we decide to go from here.” He ended, reaching for the ring he was keeping and putting it on Joe’s finger. They both turned to the woman next to them, watching as her puzzled look changed to one of admiration.

“I’m standing here, amazed by the fact that even if I didn’t understand anything you said, I could feel the love that flows from your words. That language is universal. I can only wish you to have a long and happy life together. I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband.” She declared, smiling fondly at them.

Joe took Nicky’s head in his hands, leaning in to press their foreheads together, his luminous eyes staring right at his soul. The moment lasted for an instant that felt like eternity to him. _God_ , he loved this man more than anything. Nicky embraced him, closing his eyes and blindly aiming at Joe’s lips, feeling his lips hit their mark. He opened his mouth, parting Nicky’s lips, letting them breath into each other as he slightly tilted his head to the side. They pulled away slowly, their eyes meeting as they smiled with closed lips. 

“You can go sign your wedding certificate tomorrow at our offices and we’ll help you do the paperwork.” The officiant’s voice brought them back to the world around them. “Congratulations!” They thanked her, shaking hands again before she left. They watched her walk toward the hotel, disappearing behind the glass doors.

Joe lifted him from the ground, surprising him with a hug. He growled softly against his neck, the vibrations making Nicky laugh out with joy. He put him down again, pressing a peck on his right cheek. They strolled peacefully to the shore, feeling the fresh water with their bare feet. Joe threw an arm over his shoulders, pulling him close. He did the same, putting his arm around his husband’s waist. They stayed silent as they watched the waves undulating in the distance, synchronizing their breathing with the rhythm of their dance, simply enjoying the view for a change. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they had locked the door of the room behind them, Joe bowed to grasp his thighs firmly. He let him lift him from the floor, interlocking his legs around his waist, trying to miss the spot where the wound was located. Nicky felt the hands of his partner grabbing his backside, propping his weight with them. He crossed his arms around his shoulders to help him carry him. Joe buried his face on the crook of his neck. Nicky reveled at the sensation of his lips placing wet kisses there while his beard tickled him on the same spots. He carried him all the way to the bed, putting him down with enough force to make him bounce on the mattress. He kicked his shoes off before maneuvering his body to lay closer to the headboard.

Nicky watched lustfully as his lover stripped quickly. It was weird watching his naked body for the first time since learning about the loss of their immortality, not being able to detect any differences but knowing deep down that the body before him wasn’t the same one, not entirely.

Joe climbed on the bed, pinning his arms and chest with his body, making him focus again. He bent down to capture his lips on a frantic kiss. Nicky opened his mouth, urging him to explore it as Joe had done the night before. He did, tongue moving hastily inside his mouth. Nicky took hold of Joe’s calves with his trapped hands, massaging the firm muscles. That seemed to tip him off, feeling the weight of his body sliding down, coming to rest over his hips, successfully freeing his arms. He moved his hands up to seize his curly hair, forcing his head closer to him to deepen the kiss. Joe started rocking his hips against Nicky’s bulge, the piece of fabric between their cocks heightening the friction, making them groan loudly.

Nicky vaguely registered Joe’s hands clumsily unbuttoning his shirt, too lost in the buzzing waves he felt emanating from his groin. Joe slipped his arms under his back, lifting his upper body from the bed. He broke the kiss, allowing both to catch their breaths while taking off his shirt. They crumpled again on the mattress, Joe leaning in once more to press pecks at the corners of his lips, all the way down his jawline and neck. He stopped there, their eyes meeting for a split second.

Nicky watched as his husband continued with the process, now concentrating on the skin of his chest, making his way down slowly to his abdomen, sliding his dexterous fingertips along his sides. He trembled, feeling his arousal building up. Once Joe reached his navel, he locked eyes with him again, grinning as his hands moved to undo his belt buckle to open his pants. He moaned, looking away momentarily as he felt Joe’s hand fondling his cock, taking it out of his briefs. Nicky’s hands fisted the bed covers on his sides, holding onto them as Joe stroked his member in earnest before letting it rest over his stomach, resuming to pull his pants down. He whined at the loss of stimulation on his dick, making Joe chuckle lowly. “Don’t stop, please…” Nicky muttered.

He felt the brush of his beard now traveling up his body, his lips making quick stops at the skin of his inner thighs, crotch, belly, nipples, neck; lingering just long enough to notice their departure, making him shiver with pleasure. Finally, his mouth returned to his chin, sliding his moist lips up to his to place one last quick kiss. Joe collapsed on his side next to him, moving his hand up to touch Nicky’s cheek. He shifted, mirroring his lover to lie down face to face. 

“That felt amazing.” He purred, eliciting a smile to form on Joe’s lips.

“I bet it did, babe… Glad you liked it.” He commented, lightly caressing Nicky’s cheek with his thumb.

 _My turn…_ Nicky thought. He hooked his leg over Joe’s thigh, gaining enough momentum to roll both of their bodies on the bed.

“Oh, _habibi_ …” he giggled. Joe was now on his back, Nicky’s thigh resting over his hips rubbing at his cock. Nicky trapped his arms above his head with his hands. He didn’t want their contact on his skin to distract him as he closed the gap between their faces. He pressed an assertive kiss on his mouth, Joe responding as expected by parting his own. They let their damp lips and tongues slide against each other some more before he backed away. 

“Please, Nicolò… I want you…” Joe panted. Nicky released his wrists, moving down the bed to rest on his side with his head near his hips. Joe kept his arms above his head, making him look relaxed from his new point of view. He took his cock in his hand, giving it a couple of tugs before taking it into his mouth. He felt Joe’s body shudder as he licked leisurely at all the spots he knew his husband liked, his hips bucking more anxiously at his mouth as the minutes went by. He stroked his own erection with his hand, feeling himself getting closer and closer to release.

“I want you inside me…” Joe huffed, desperation palpable in his voice. Nicky released the member from his hand, watching it remain erect in the air. He wasn’t going to deny him, so he moved to kneel between his legs and watched as he folded them at the knee, keeping his feet firmly positioned over the covers, granting him access. He reached over him for the bottle of lube he had unpacked earlier, which was standing at the bedside table. Before returning to sit on his heels, he pressed another slow kiss on his lips, causing him to moan softly in his mouth.

He applied some lube on his hand and used it to rub Joe’s shaft, watching as his lover bit his lip and buried his head in the pillow closing his eyes, overwhelmed with the sensation. He left it to hang in the air once more, squeezing more of the fluid on his hand. He warmed it between his fingers before smearing it at the rim of Joe’s hole. He massaged the area with the tip of his fingers, watching it clench periodically at his ministrations. He pushed his index finger in, tentatively looking up to observe his husband’s reaction, watching as his hands clamped the pillow above his head. He thrusted in and out, adding his middle finger when he felt him starting to loosen up. Nicky’s sight flew over his naked body, sweat making it glisten under the light filtering from the window, making his cock twitch with the vision in front of him. Suddenly, his eyes halted at the white gauze that was stuck to his side, making him freeze. 

_What if…?_

“You could never hurt me…” Joe knew exactly what was going through his mind. His sweet voice reassuring him, encouraging him to return to action. He took his cock in his hand to position it on his entrance, pushing in slowly, still a little afraid to cause him any harm. Joe cursed under his breath, groaning loudly. Their eyes met, Joe’s glowing with passion, demanding.

When he felt himself all the way in, he adjusted his stance, the pressure on his bruised knees a bit uncomfortable, but bearable. He leaned over his lover, placing his left hand over the mattress next to Joe’s head, using his other to grasp his cock, running it up and down his length. Joe’s arms clung to his back around his shoulders, pulling him toward him. 

“Please…” he begged, moving his hips wantonly. Nicky complied, thrusting slowly at first but starting to pick up his pace. His scent was intoxicating, making him pound even faster, feeling as Joe kissed and bit the skin of his neck and shoulders, muffling his groans in them. Barely a minute passed when he felt him tensing around him as he reached his climax, making him groan loud in his ear. He let his cock free, continuing to shove rapidly, chasing his own orgasm. The sound of their thighs slapping against each other filled the room, along with their moans. With one last forceful thrust he came, falling over Joe’s chest, panting from the exertion. He laid there, catching his breath, feeling the man under him do the same.

After some time had passed, he felt Joe’s hand rubbing the back of his head tenderly. He turned to look at him, his blissful face decorated with a big smile appearing before him. He grinned back at him, shifting to put his face close to his. Joe kissed him on the forehead, looking down again into his eyes, the big brown orbs conveying more than his words could ever do. _I love you, too…_

Joe pushed him to roll on his side to spoon him. He kneaded the flesh of his limbs, relieving some of the tension from them. They felt themselves calm down in the proximity of the other, relishing on the familiar sentiment that they knew would never go away. 

That night, they fell into the calmest deepest slumber they had ever experienced in their many lifetimes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His eyelids flickered open, enabling him to take in the view that greeted him. The greenish blue mantle of the sea decorated the big crystal windows as some clouds floating in the sky filtered the sunlight. It was a peaceful morning, the cheerful chanting of the birds outside mingling beautifully with the sound of the waves. Almost a millennium worth of memories of him waking up next to the man beside him and yet, this one was turning out to be his favorite.

He could sense Joe’s arms and legs still tangled with his own as they laid under the smooth fabric of the bed sheets. His lover’s breath was coming out steady, brushing the skin of his nape. He continued to marvel at the view, the green leaves of the nearby trees swinging with the ocean breeze. An hour must have gone by when he felt Joe starting to stir behind him. Nicky rolled in his embrace, putting both hands on his chest. Joe’s hair sparkled under the sunlight, some of the curls in his head reflecting the light making them look a shade lighter than they were. 

“Good morning, handsome…” Nicky whispered.

“Hi… How long have you been up?” Joe’s voice was still muffled by the stupor he was trying to shake off.

“Not that long.”

“What’s on your mind, _habibi_?” Joe questioned, Nicky having not noticed he was watching him while he was distractedly combing through Joe’s hair with his eyes. His husband closed his eyes again, curling up close enough for his nose to rub Nicky’s chest.

“I was just thinking about how you are going to rock the salt and pepper look. At least that is what I think they call it now.”

“Absolutely! My father did, so I’m quite confident about my chances.” Joe bragged, finally opening his eyes for good. Nicky snorted, moving his hand up to brush off some curls away from Joe´s temple. His brown orbs were staring at him decorated by several wrinkles on their corners. Nicky savored every minute of it, getting lost in the light that emanated from them. Joe removed the arm he had around him, straightening a little while continuing to lie on his side. Nicky shifted to lie on his back pulling his folded arms up and under his head to support it. 

“This is definitely something I will not miss about our now gone enhanced healing.” Joe said as he leaned in to tenderly kiss the reddish spots he had left on Nicky’s neck and shoulders. “Them making these fade away. You look so good like this, babe.” He finished his thought, backing away a bit to look at them from a better angle.

“Yusuf…” Nicky giggled, rolling his eyes succinctly.

“What!?” Joe frowned while smiling. “It’s true!” He winked at him, playful grin on his lips. He continued to examine Nicky’s body, his eyes drifting from one spot to next, savoring the picture below him. His eyes stopped their ministrations abruptly when they reached his knees. He moved his hand to rest on one of them. “These, however, will be harder to get used to…” He sadly pointed out, massaging the bruises tenderly as to not cause him pain. His eyes glowered blankly at the place where his hand rubbed the purplish spots, as if willing them to disappear with his mind. 

Nicky stretched his arm to put the tip of his fingers on Joe’s hip, next to the spot where the bullet had grazed him. The bandage had somehow managed to stay on, hiding it from view.

“Yeah, we really should be more careful.” Nicky commented, as the image of the wound was conjured by his mind. Joe mumbled something unintelligible, his attention returning to his love´s face.

“Well… as much as I would like to stay here all day with my brand-new husband…” Joe boasted, “I think we should head back to the safe house. They might start to worry if we don’t get there on time.” His lips drew near to place a chaste kiss on his own before his body receded, getting off the bed with swiftness. Nicky couldn’t take his sight away from him, standing there under the sunlight that entered through the windows. Their bodies would probably start to change soon, but he was sure the awe will never leave no matter what. He watched him pick up the bag they brought with them, taking his clothes out. Joe caught him staring, making him raise an eyebrow.

“I love you.” Nicky declared, big smile decorating his usually reserved facial expressions. He saw Joe’s other eyebrow raising while he shook his face slowly.

“You always say the sweetest things, _caro mio_.” Joe responded, dropping what he had in his hands. He crawled back to him, shaking the bed as he slid over the covers. The mischievous look on his face announcing his intentions. Oh, how he adored that look.

“What ever happened to not being late?” He halfheartedly protested. His husband was now straddling him, hands holding his head fondly. He felt Joe’s cock swaying against his abdomen.

“You underestimate me, Nicolò…” He playfully growled, making Nicky laugh out loud. Joe captured Nicky’s lips with his urgent mouth, making him gasp. He deepened the kiss, demanding at times but reverent at others. Joe parted momentarily to take a breath. “I love you, too. Beyond measure and reason.” 

Nicky forgot about everything, letting Joe take the lead. Andy and Nile would have to wait a little longer.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They found Nile sitting on the couch with the TV on. She lifted her sight away from her phone, taking them in as they walked through the front door.

“Andy! They are back!” Nile shouted toward the staircase. They didn’t have to wait long for their boss to join them downstairs. She inspected them from where she was standing at the foot of the stairs, puzzled look in her eyes.

“Are you going to tell us what is going on with you two?” She said, walking toward them with her hands on her waist, a single raised eyebrow. “All you left was a note.”

“I think it would be best if we all sit down for this.” Joe offered as an answer.

Andy walked around them, sitting heavily on the single armchair located in the living room area, propping her feet over the small coffee table in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for them. Joe and Nicky moved to take a seat on the two empty spots of the sofa where Nile was sitting, leaving them in the middle of their teammates. Silence reigned in the room, both trying to gather their thoughts, pondering over the best way possible to tell them the news.

“Wait, is that…” Nicky had been nervously playing with the ring on his finger while deep in thought, drawing Nile’s attention to his hands. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Well, I suppose we might as well tell you. We got married yesterday.” Nicky said, lowering his head shyly to avert his teammates eyes by looking down to the floor between his legs.

“And you didn’t tell us? Low blow, guys...” Nile playfully bumped Joe’s arm with her fist while shaking her head disapprovingly. “Low blow.” Joe let out a quiet groan, rubbing at his arm. Andy could not hide the smirk that her lips formed. 

“What? It is not like you’ll bruise.” Nile huffed, rolling her eyes.

“In fact, that’s the thing we need to talk about.” Nicky interjected, watching as Andy’s face got serious suddenly. She put her feet back on the ground, resting her forearms over her bent knees.

Joe and Nicky took turns telling them everything, sparing no details but turning to look at them often enough to assess their reactions to their story. Nicky had seen how Andy seemed to have retreated into her mind at some point, musing about what she was hearing. By the time they were done, silence befell over them once more. He looked past Joe to see how Nile was faring.

“In what position does this leave you, guys?” she asked as their eyes locked, hers starting to fill up with tears.

“That we are mortal now does not equal certain death. We just need to make peace with it and be more careful during missions from now on. Wearing more protective gear, choosing jobs within our newly restricted capabilities.” Nicky replied, extending her a reassuring smile. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, wiping away the tears and offering a sweet smile in return. 

“Actually… I was thinking it could be a good time to retire… Don’t you think, hayati?” Joe hesitated, looking at him while grabbing his hand to intertwine their fingers. 

“Is that really what you want?” he asked perplexed, his husband taking him by surprise with his intentions.

“It’s what you deserve.” Andy broke her silence to say. “You’ve done enough, you deserve to spend however many years you have left with each other. Away from danger, preferably.” They all turned in her direction, watching as her face softened. She was smiling affectionately at them.

“But what about upcoming jobs?”

“Oh, Nicky… You know we can handle ourselves.” Andy’s smug face returned, winking complicitly at their newest recruit. “Besides, Booker is still out there, we just have to wait another 99 years to bring him back into the fold.” She chuckled. “We’ll be fine until then.” Andy waved her hand dismissively.

He nodded, conceding. He turned to look at his lover, who seemed to be engrossed with rubbing Nicky’s ring with his thumb. He rested his head on Joe´s shoulder, staring at their interlaced hands. He would follow him anywhere he wanted to go. 

“Well, at least we won’t have to buy you presents, since you didn’t have the courtesy to invite us to your wedding.” Nile sneered, sassy grin decorating her face. _Bless her soul_.

At that, the four blasted with laughter. They were going to be okay after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I don’t know if hotels offer that kind of services, let us pretend they do :p
> 
> I know tuxedos and suits are awesome, (and I hope we get to see Joe and Nicky wear either one on the sequel) but I raise you: Guayaberas! I know that in the US they are considered casual wear, but in Mexico and many other Latin American countries, they are used as formal wear and they are extremely popular at weddings. 
> 
> https://yucatantoday.com/guayabera/?lang=en
> 
> Here is a link of what I had in mind: 
> 
> http://bit.ly/3mVZyBh
> 
> If I knew how to make illustrations, I would have drawn some fanart. But alas, you’ll have to imagine them wearing the ones I described. 
> 
> I find them elegant and I love all the different colors and designs. Plus, they are perfect for hot weather: they are fresh because they are made of cotton, linen, or a mix of both. Researching for this fic I saw a LOT of wedding photos where men are wearing suits in tropical beaches and I couldn’t stop thinking about how uncomfortable that looked. If you have done it, I salute you and I respect you.  
> As for the setting, I think Huatulco was an easy pick. If you are curious, I leave you a link: 
> 
> https://www.destinationweddings.com/Destinations/Mexico/Huatulco.aspx 
> 
> You can choose the bay you like the most for the specific setting of this chapter.
> 
> The vows were the hardest part to write because 1) Whatever I wrote would never live up to the magnificence of the van speech (the extended version of the comics) and 2) How do you get inside the minds of a couple of 900+ year old men? What would they say to each other? Haven’t they told each other everything in that time?  
> So, I hope they turned out fine. Also, I am 0 % romantic in that way. So, when I think about things like that, they are either super corny or super flat, there is no in-between because I don’t know where to draw the line. At one point, I panicked and changed them for the line: “they exchanged their vows…” but I realized that would constitute as cheating after having written at least 3 dialog heavy chapters before that point. 
> 
> The wedding officiant speech is loosely based in one I heard at a friend’s wedding, it really resonated with me.
> 
> Last thing: If this were a movie, this is the soundtrack that would be playing during the kiss at the wedding: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2CduaVLGE 
> 
> Hans Zimmer’s music always make my soul soar :3
> 
> So, there you have it, I hope you like it 😊


	5. Sunset

**_5 years later…_ **

The ocean breeze was blowing delicately on their faces, sitting side by side on the two big armchairs located in the balcony of their little apartment. It had become a tradition for them to sit outside, waiting for the next great Maltese sunset to grace them with its spectacle of lights and colors, shining over the calm ocean waves beneath them. It was late October; the weather was still pretty warm but not in an uncomfortable way.

Today, the whole team had finally come together for the first time. Andy, Quynh, Booker, and Nile had just left after dinner, warm hugs and promises of upcoming reunions being exchanged back and forth. Trying to put some good in the world one mission at a time was a full-time job, one their family took very seriously, and although they were aching to stay for one more day at least, they had to leave to meet Copley for the next job he had lined up for them. It had been a great couple of days hanging together like old times, a family that kept on growing despite the multiple obstacles they kept finding in their way. Love still bonded them to this unusual group of people, even in their retirement.

Two years after they left, Quynh had managed to return to them, almost like a miracle. He could still remember the late-night call he received from Andy, in which she had shared the good news with them between strangled sobs. Nicky had been startled awake by the loud chirping of Andy’s ringtone, dragging Joe to awareness as he struggled to escape his embrace and the bed sheets that covered them just to get to his phone.

They knelt on the bed, adrenaline high in their systems. Joe had snatched the phone from his hands and had put it on speaker, wanting to listen and talk to Andy himself, asking her to put Quynh on, just to hear his sister’s voice after centuries of just memories of it. Andy promised to schedule a zoom call later, Quynh having fallen sleep after having just had a very emotionally taxing day. Hell, she even spun the possibility of them traveling to Malta once Copley managed to come up with new documentation for her.

Joe had the biggest smile on his face when the call ended, his moist eyes sparkling under the low light in that unique way they had of doing it. Nicky had pulled him into a tight hug, feeling the heavy weight that had accompanied him for more than 500 years finally lift off his chest. He was willing to bet Joe felt the same way.

That night, they had trouble falling asleep again, only managing to do it near sunrise. They just laid on the bed, Nicky’s head resting over his chest while their intertwined fingers laid over Joe’s abdomen. They quietly exchanged memories about the good times they spent all those years back with Andy and Quynh, back when it was just the four of them.

Happiness was an intoxicating feeling, one that they had tasted in a lot of moments during their very long lives. They were happy back then, and Andy would be at peace with herself again now that Quynh had returned to her.

Their sleep was peaceful, the notion of having their lost sister back lulling them after months of fearing they would never get to see her again in their now limited lifetimes. 

Quynh was still getting used to this new world, which she knew next to nothing about. Nile’s addition to the family had also been a blessing on that front. Her youth, joyful personality, and expertise in various areas of modern knowledge had helped Quynh navigate and adjust to the changes the 21st century brought. Nile was working with her, easing her delicately into the world of technology and the Internet, making sure she had all the right tools to make it out there. Perhaps more importantly, Andy and Nile were very patient and accommodating, helping her get through the trauma one day at a time.

And after some heated debates and conversations between his sisters and them, they decided to end Booker’s exile, Nile and Quynh vouching to help him get better too. Andy had highlighted the importance of them getting together now that she was back.

Nicky turned his sight from the lines of the book he was only partially paying attention to, having been distracted from his ruminations by the harsh sound of pencil scratching paper with an impatient pace. Joe was frowning at his notebook, obviously struggling with something.

“What’s the matter, _habibi_?” Nicky asked, reverting to their blend of Italian and Arabic after two days of speaking in English for the most part.

“Just having some trouble getting… this… line… right…” Joe replied, not lifting his eyes from the page, scratching at the white paper with his pencil some more.

“You are the most talented artist I have ever met, I’m sure it’s fine!”

“But it is not, and it has to be perfect... Nile’s face needs to be perfect.” He countered, turning the page to start from the beginning.

Nicky stood up, closing the book he had on his hands, leaving it over the small table that was placed between them. He walked the few feet that separated them and placed his hand on Joe’s shoulder, reaching down from his standing position for the notebook that was placed over Joe’s thighs.

“Let me see…” He muttered as he turned the page to look at what had upset his husband. Two beautiful eyes greeted him, staring directly into his own from the white page. The rest of Nile’s face was already there, perfect in the shape her braids gave the rest of her head, well traced cheeks, chin, and nose. Her mouth was still a work in progress, but he could see the early dashes of her lips forming a smile that could warm the coldest of hearts. Next to her face, he could elucidate the outline of what seemed to be a child.

“I don’t see what’s the problem _._ It’s is as perfect as if the real Nile were actually trapped in a black and white world inside the page. Sure, you haven’t finished it yet but…” He turned to look at Joe, whose frown was starting to smooth out.

“Her lips aren’t quite right, but I can’t exactly translate what they look like in my mind into the paper…” A loud sigh escaped his mouth. “It’s been ages since I struggled this much with a sketch... Don’t mind me, it’s not that big of a deal.” Joe smiled bashfully from where he was sitting, finally turning to look at him. Nicky knew him well enough to sense some defeat in the way the wrinkles around his eyes were practically absent, despite them usually showing up whenever he genuinely smiled. There was also a hint of sadness in his eyes. He climbed to sit on the arm of the chair, Joe wriggling to the side to make room for him. He felt his lover’s arm circling his waist as he placed his right leg in the place Joe had vacated. Nicky took his face in his hands. 

“Do you remember how much you struggled with my eyes all those years ago? It used to drive you crazy. It was quite endearing watching you keep trying so hard, though.” Nicky changed the topic a little, watching his husband’s face continue to relax as he rubbed his thumb gently over the wrinkles that marred his forehead. Joe let out a small chuckle.

“Yeah… These used to haunt me in my dreams.” Joe commented nostalgically, locking their sights. “I had never seen eyes like yours. Well, yes… but not quite like yours. The color I used was never right because they are like the sea: sometimes blue, sometimes green, sometime gray. The more I kept on trying, the more details I found in them and the more I fell in love with them.” Joe’s free hand moved up to trace the curb under his left eye, returning the caress while emphasizing the issue discussed. 

“But you eventually got them right. It will be the same with her lips. I have no doubts about it.”

“Maybe, but I had a lot of time to master them. We don’t get to see Nile that often. What if I don’t have enough time to ace my sketches of her?” So, maybe it wasn’t all about the drawing…

“You will, because now you have all those years of experience, just be patient. I’ll make sure to ask Nile to send some pictures by mail so you can practice a little more.” Nicky promised.

“Thank you, _tesoro_.” He smiled fondly at him, proceeding to rest his head on Nicky’s side. “It’s just that… meeting everyone today… I don’t know… I think I need more time to come to terms with our situation. I thought I had but…” Joe murmured. Nicky started combing his hair soothingly with his fingers, three silver curls standing in the top of his head picked up his attention. He played with them a bit, before tangling them with the dark ones. He put his arm down around Joe’s shoulders. 

“I feel the same way sometimes…” He sighed, bending weirdly to rest the side of his face over his head, watching the sun setting over the ocean in front of them. They stayed like that, silently gazing at the scene before them. The sound of faint shuffling caused them turn to the inside of the apartment.

“Uh, _Baba_ …? _Papà_ …?”

Stella was walking toward them, dragging a plush rabbit over the floor with one hand while rubbing her eyes with the back of the other. They had put her to bed after dinner, her little head bobbing while fighting sleep after having run and played around all day with Nile on the beach. 

“Come here, _habibti_ …” Joe called her with a gentle smile on his lips. Nicky took the sketchbook from Joe’s legs, allowing her to hop on his lap. “What are you doing awake?” His husband asked, smoothing her messy brown wavy hair away from her face.

“I had a bad dream… A monster was chasing me and… I’m scared, I don’t want to fall sleep again…” She babbled as she hugged her toy.

“Papà and I know a thing or two about nightmares, you have nothing to worry about. We’ll be here to protect you when you go back to sleep. Okay?”

“Okay…” Stella replied, staring at them in awe and then turning to look at the book Nicky was holding still open over his leg.

“Nile!” She joyfully voiced, pointing her finger at the drawing. “I liked playing with her… She is my friend, but now she is gone… I want to play with her. Is she coming back soon?”

“I hope so! I’m sure she would like that very much…” Nicky assured her, pocking her cheek with his finger, making her laugh.

“She taught me how to play with the…” she retold them her adventures of the day, exalting her favorite moments, making them chuckle with her eccentric storytelling skills. Minutes went by until her voice finally started to turn into a slur, having exhausted herself once more. Her eyelids looked heavy, sleep trying to claim her once more. The sky was dark by then, the light of the full moon above them illuminating the balcony.

Joe shifted in his seat, cradling her comfortably in his arms and chest. He started humming quietly, rubbing the soft skin of her arm with his fingers.

The sound transported Nicky to a distant memory, hundreds of years ago. They had just evacuated a village sometime at the beginning of their partnership. They were in the middle of the desert, some families gathering around a bonfire, trying to keep warm. Nicky was sitting across the fire, listening as Joe tried to calm down two boys who had lost their parents during the raid to their town. They were cuddling on the ground, covered by Joe’s cape. He watched as Joe moved to sit near their heads, placing his hand on the head of one of the boys as he started to sing them a lullaby. 

Nicky smiled at the reverie as he began to sing, turning to watch the moon over the sea.

Atas atas amimmi, atas atas aylli

[ _Go to sleep my baby sleep, go to sleep my little sweet_ ]  
  


Atatas mimmi atimghour yalli

[ _One day you’ll be grown and out on your own, but always in my arms you will have a home_ ]

  
Atas atas amimmi

[ _Go to sleep my baby sleep_ ]

He looked down again at his husband with Stella in his arms. Joe was watching him, his delightedly surprised eyes glowing under the moonlight. He continued humming peacefully, Nicky accompanying him with the lyrics flowing soothingly from his mouth. They sang until their daughter was soundly sleep, her breathing deep and slow by the time they stopped. _I wouldn’t change this moment for anything…_

“You remembered…” Joe whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

“Of course I do! It is one of the moments that made me fall in love with you…” Nicky murmured, placing his hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve never told me that before...” Joe commented, lost in thought. Nicky smiled coyly. “My mom used to sing it to me and my siblings when we were young…”

“It’s very sweet…” He stated, squeezing the spot under his palm. 

“We should get back inside… It’s getting cold out here.” Joe stood up carefully, not to disturb the child in his arms. He walked toward the doors as Nicky stood closer to railing of the balcony.

Echoes of their last mission floated in his mind. _Dios se los pague…_ [ _May God return it to you…]_ Elena’s voice resounded in his mind. He smiled fleetingly, turning to follow his family inside.

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is “Atas Atas” which is a traditional lullaby in a Berber dialect (origin: North Africa, sp. Algeria). 
> 
> https://bit.ly/386VIRH
> 
> Fun fact: While trying to trace how far in the past this song appeared for it to be feasible in the context I used it, I found out that “Arrorró”, a famous lullaby in Spanish was likely derived from a song in Berber, taken to Spain where it was translated, to be later brought to America. 
> 
> So, this is it! I hope you liked the story. And to all the people who read it, thank you for your kudos and comments. They are highly appreciated!! Have a great day!


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